Desert Steam
by Muckefuck
Summary: Aladdin dreamed of rain. He dreamed of fire. Then when he wakes, the ice surrounds him, it crushes him. It takes away all joy and leaves him in a state of nothingness. There is no one to save him. And with every night that brings this ice to him, he finds just a bit more darkness in the rukh around him. Non Con JuAla
1. Chapter 1

The evening breeze slipped through the window. The smell of the fresh air, the gentle caress of the wind against his face; there was nothing more soothing to the soul. The silk sheets were so cozy to slip under. His belly was so stuffed with food and drink from dinner. Aladdin leaned back and shut his eyes, still smiling as he let himself relax. It was finally time to rest.

His eyes opened as he shivered a bit, looking around for a moment to find the room completely empty. The spacious room was barren, except for the small fire in the fireplace, burning to ashes. The tiled floor showed no dirty footprints or spilled water. It was just him. He was all alone.

Aladdin pulled the large blanket from over him, standing up and wincing at the cold tile. He hurried over to the fireplace and grabbed a couple logs from nearby, throwing them onto the fire and poking at it a moment before the fire grew.

The warmth, oh, but that warmth was like nothing else. The smoke billowed up the fireplace while the heat, the heat came straight to him, cuddling him close. Like the most tender of goodnights, like the smooth caress of boobs against his face, the warmth fixed everything. The flames danced before him, like the visitors for Sindria had danced for the king this evening. The bright colors held his attention for a bit before he looked back towards his bed.

It seemed a shame that the bed was so far away, when the warmth was all right here.

He looked around before he decided how to act. Aladdin walked over to grab the blankets, he pushed the large chair in the room to the fireplace, and it was when he had all of this that he curled up tight in the seat and let his eyes drift to a close.

It was so nice here. It was certainly no bed, with its pillow like mattress. There was so much warmth to be had here though. He moved just the slightest bit closer as he felt that chill run through him again. Perhaps he was catching a fever. Maybe he was getting a warning for something. Whatever the reason, he felt the urge to run to his friends. He felt like he should leave his seat and toss the blankets aside, sprinting until he reached one of them.

A small piece of him told him that it was too late. He would never escape.

There was nothing to escape from though. It was peaceful as an ocean floor here. There wasn't a bit of discomfort to be found in the room. The room was as it should be. The fire crackled quietly in the fireplace in the most relaxing of ways. The warmth radiated into his blanket and bound itself there, warming him from the tips of his toes to the top of his head.

There was something though, a nagging voice murmured. There was something off about the room.

Not enough food, he decided, looking to the small fruit bowl sitting by the window. The bowl looked like it had been picked at. There wasn't nearly as much food as when he had entered. He looked a bit better and realized the peaches were gone. He must have eaten them, Aladdin decided as he shut his eyes.

The dreams he had. What dreams they were! Vivid colors danced before his eyes. Books, thousands of books… he was back with Ugo. Now he was wandering the plains of a field. Then he was in the desert. These scenes flickered so quickly passed his face. Without any ability to stop them, he let them pass, not minding the changes as the heat remained a constant. The warmth was nice.

In his dreams, he felt the first drips of rain, a bright blue rain. It fell over his shoulders, freezing to his body. He shivered, he shook. He scratched at the rain upon his skin. He tried to move away. There wasn't any escape from the downfall. There was simply too much of it. There was far too much rain falling around him. He couldn't figure out what to do. He covered his eyes in worry as he tried to think. The desert sand was still under his feet. He looked around himself as he took in the scenery of his dreams.

There was so much sand. There were towering rock cliffs in the distance.

And then in the heat there was a lush greenery.

He hurried for that, trying to escape the quickly freezing rainfall that seemed to fall from the cloudless skies. It didn't make sense that there would be rain in the desert. Perhaps the desert had been lonely without it though.

The figure stood before the flames. A black sun in his dreams; they raised their wand to the air and the flames were changed, the plants and the gardens around them were frozen in place. The smallest rosebuds were frozen even to the smallest dew drops that graced their petals. Aladdin's eyes were glued to the man before him though. His eyes were wide from the shock.

Never had there been another in his dreams. Never had he been able to imagine someone to such details. He reached out quietly, touching the other before he saw the crimson colored gaze fall onto him. He stared at the other in silence for a moment in wonder.

How had he gotten in here? How was this possible? Why him? What was happening to the area? The sun had run off, leaving this black sun to stand before him.

That breeze from his bedroom hit his body, only for Aladdin to realize he was sweating. The warmth vanished from all around him, as though gravity had stolen it to feed the chill approaching him from all sides. He stared up at the other and the other stared back. Then…

Then there was pain.

A thousand agonizes bits of pain, the pain so terrible it ripped at him from the inside. He cried out, but then there was ice. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move. He saw that he was standing in his dream, but the pain, the pain in his lower half of the body. He felt like his face had begun to bleed. He felt like his chest had been hit once, twice, thrice. He couldn't breathe!

The air! Where had the air gone!? He tried to open his mouth more, to say something to the man before him, that black sunlight. He tried to reach out to touch him once more. The other vanished from before him. Aladdin listened as the whisper came, low but firm.

"More, Chibi. You need to loosen up before I loosen you up."

He didn't understand. He looked around, trying to move, but his arms. He found his arms surrounded in blue flames, no ice, no… he wasn't sure. His vision had begun to spin. He couldn't feel his arms or legs. The pain was descending upon him in more exponential ways. He tried to move more, but he felt something dig into his face.

He screamed, not knowing what else to do. He thrashed erratically from the oppressing hold that was on him. He felt something slip over his shoulder, perhaps a hand, an arm? He didn't know. Teeth began to bite into the soft skin of his neck, making him begin to weep, trying to find the air to continue to cry with. The air, what little there way, it barely did anything to help. He needed more. Needed it so badly. He wasn't sure what he could do without it.

He cried harder as the darkness enclosed around him. His vision swam in nothingness. He sobbed and sobbed, calling out for someone. Anyone. He needed to wake up. He wanted to.

He felt something flood through his pained lower regions. He felt the touch of something between his legs, making him split them quickly. He didn't want to see the other again. "Please stop," he begged to the other, looking up at him. "Please-AH"

A smiling, kind Judal met his view, but his chest. His chest felt so exposed, not in the naked sense, but like someone had ripped him open and wasn't going to sew him up. He was scared. He dared not look down. What if he did to find nothing there? It was so cold. It was so terribly cold.

Someone please.

Aladdin called out again, to another friend. He called out to someone, anyone, whoever could take the pain away.

He didn't want to hurt anymore.

The other seemed to pull away after a bit, making Aladdin look up in surprise before he screamed. His eyes opened as he tried to sit up in bed, but he couldn't breathe. There was a pounding at the door a moment before the thing was thrown open. Alibaba ran into the room, pausing a moment before he was yelling out the door, rousing the whole palace from slumber.

It was a bit extreme for a nightmare.

Aladdin looked down, feeling bile rise to his mouth as he saw the marks on his body. He looked over to Alibaba, his vision beginning to swim. The blond looked over to him and shook his head. "I'm sorry," the boy told Aladdin. "I'm so sorry, Aladdin."

Aladdin felt his vision swim a moment before he was unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Aladdin was taken to the infirmary in the palace immediately, Alibaba carrying him and sprinting as fast as he could go. In his arms, the small bundle didn't move. The eyes of Aladdin flickered to a close, but he didn't dare sleep. The other would come back if he did, wouldn't he? What if he shut his eyes and there were more wounds on his person. His stomach had been adorned in scratch marks and cuts, it hurt to breathe, and he was sure that his face was wounded too.

Everything hurt. Everything hurt so badly.

His eyes opened once more to look up at Alibaba. The man seemed scared. More than that, Alibaba seemed entirely terrified. Apologies spilled forth from him with every step he took. His gaze would wander down to him only to turn more upset and agonized. Aladdin could feel the rukh trying to help him, fluttering around them both as they moved, trying to comfort them. He felt like he too should be trying to comfort Alibaba, but the pain.

He could feel the blood escaping him and that was the most terrifying feeling of all.

"Just hold on, please," Alibaba asked of him as they ran into the place and Alibaba called out for a doctor, for someone to please come help.

"I'm okay," Aladdin tried to tell the man. "I'm okay, Alibaba-kun."

He wasn't though. They both knew this by now. There was so much pain within him. The rukh were floating through the air limply. Aladdin still wanted to comfort his friend. He wanted to give the other hope. He tried to reach up to him, trying to use a bit of strength to touch the other's cheek, but his hand only raised the slightest bit before it fell to hang down from his body.

Alibaba's face only fell deeper into agony at that, his voice turning frantic as he turned to find someone to hurry and come help him. He didn't look at him, he didn't say anything to him. Aladdin felt so isolated. He felt so alone and weak. He wasn't sure what to do.

He tried to reach out to him again, but he just caught sight of his arm and let the matter go. His eyes shut as he felt the pain of his body. His neck ached from the side with the arm he had been reaching with. A throbbing pain came from his butt.

Sinbad and the others were sent out for as the doctors caught sight of him. Guards were sent out to find the intruders. The whole palace was awakened from the dead of night. Time didn't seem important as Aladdin lay there. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling. The red ceiling, a deep carmine color, a color that seemed to peer down at him just as that magi had.

He couldn't breathe again.

Those hands were like ice on him, they were so cold. His skin felt like it was freezing on him, threatening to fall to pieces if someone hit him. He couldn't move again. And he could just imagine Judal's eyes looking down at him, touching him so inappropriately.

"Aladdin!" Alibaba's voice called out to him, but Aladdin couldn't stop the images from returning to him. He could still feel the feeling of ice around him, of pain and agony. That unrelenting look from the magi as he had come to him, had gone where no one was supposed to go. The rukh around him were floating around as though drunk, unable to find a correct way to fly. Gray clouded them as they floated in the air.

"Aladdin!" More voices called to him. He wasn't sure what to do. Those eyes, those deep red eyes as he felt himself being entered again. He was remembering more,

"What happened to him," a voice, Sinbad maybe… demanded.

Another voice spoke up, "I'm getting a bad feeling from him."

A feminine voice called to him, a hand going to his face, but he felt Judal's hands on him. He could only feel the other's ice cold fingers cutting into him, feel pain enter him. He tried to cry out, hearing his own voice in his ears.

"Don't touch him!"

"Sin," a voice said quietly. "Sin, I think they did more than hurt him physically."

"I know, Yamraiha." Sinbad's voice drifted closer. "If you could show us what happened." The voices were all so far away. He felt like he was underwater with how he was hearing those voices. Who was speaking? What were they thinking? Were they mad?

Aladdin could feel the pain and worry for his friends go through him. He hoped they weren't too hurt by his wounds and pain. He needed to comfort Alibaba. He needed-

His eyes opened for only a moment before he glimpsed that red color. The images returning to him and making him curl up into himself more. He didn't want to look, to feel. He wanted to become numb to it all. If only something would come to take the pain away.

"The rukh aren't responding right." She shook her head. "Nothing is responding right with him. Whatever happened was traumatic."

"Can you help him?" Alibaba asked, demanding more like. It shook with every word he spoke.

"I can't do anything unless allowed and Aladdin isn't responding."

"Just help him," Alibaba demanded.

"I could possibly make something, but that would take time and- ALIBABA!" The woman's voice rose up as a door was thrown open. The room fell silent as the two's voices faded to nothingness. Aladdin frowned. He needed to tell them. He had to tell them it was Judal.

He forced himself to open his eyes, unable to speak for several moments. The words though. He needed to tell them Judal. "…judal… need… Judal…" His voice and what he said made him cry out. The rukh darkening a bit from the fear of seeing the other.

"Aladdin," Ja'far's voice drifted closer before he saw the other's face. His expression was forced, but it was kind. "Aladdin, we want to help. Can you tell us where it hurts?" His touch was so soft, so kind-hearted. It felt like a lie.

Aladdin felt so violated and wrong. He didn't want to be touched. The pain…

It hurt everywhere. He shut his eyes from the pain of it all, feeling more since the other made him think about it. He wanted, needed, to tell them that Judal had done this. That Judal was running rampant in the palace and might hurt them. Gathering what little strength he had left, he forced himself to open his eyes and turn to look at the adviser.

His eyes froze though, looking behind the man. Those blue eyes of the young magi were locked on the doorway, behind even Sinbad. His whole body began to shake from the newly born fear. It swelled within him worse than anything in his wildest dreams. There in the doorstep was the phantom of his dreams, the nightmare that had done this to him. Judal stood there, leaning against the doorframe. The rukh pulsed around him with dark coloring and Aladdin felt himself quickly losing all strength.

The older magi held a finger to his lips; that smirk in place as he looked at the other two standing in the room, watching Aladdin worriedly. Sinbad's gaze seemed to turn more worried as Aladdin looked over at him a moment. Did Judal mean to hurt them too? He felt his breathing quicken, his whole person trembling. Ja'far's hand on him was trying to soothe him, but it did only the opposite as Aladdin watched the older magi standing in the doorway. The raven-haired man's eyes glinted in amusement, his body relaxed in its position against the wall. 'Soon,' he mouthed, before Aladdin's strength was gone, making him fall asleep.

Ja'far looked behind himself, towards where Aladdin had been looking. Those eyes had been so terrified. "Sin, can you ask the guards if they saw anyone just now?"

Sinbad was already on it though, talking to the men.

Ja'far's hand swept some of Aladdin's hair from his eyes, shaking his head. "What happened, Aladdin? What's wrong with you?" Why had he been so scared of something just now? The boy had seemed to cringe at his touch. He hadn't even calmed down to speak to them in full sentences. He stood up and pulled the blankets away a bit before his gaze saw red.

Both literally and figuratively, blood was all over him. He looked like he had been…

There was not a person that would touch the boy like that though. He pulled the blankets back up and tucked them tight around the magi. His eyes looking around a bit frantically before he saw a bowl of water and cloth. He set the quickly dampened cloth upon the boy's forehead and sat down as the king returned to the room.

"No one has passed since Alibaba and Yamraiha." Sinbad shut the door and looked to Ja'far.

"Sin," Ja'far looked over at him and shook his head. "I have a bad feeling about this. We should have Yamraiha return to try something. We need answers. I don't like knowing that somewhere in the palace, there is someone that would intentionally harm Aladdin of all people." He held onto his blades a bit tighter. "There is no one safe if one can be injured in the palace so easily."

The king moved forward and pulled Ja'far back, sighing. "We should listen to him, see if you can get someone to contact Hakuryuu and see if he can get into contact with Judal."

"I don't like this idea." Ja'far looked over at him. "Can't Yamraiha have time to think of something more reasonable? There must be something the other two magi can do to help. If not a magi, then we can send for someone else. There must be another person…"

Sin shook his head. "Aladdin said he needed him. I don't like it either, but I will follow what he wants." He moved forward and looked at the slumbering boy with a deep frown. "I'm sure Aladdin wouldn't say that he needed him unless he did need him."

"I can't help but to think this is a bad idea though." Ja'far gaze flickered up to him.

"I know it is." Sinbad's golden colored gaze went to his. "We will need to keep an eye on him."

Ja'far looked back at his king a moment before looking down at Aladdin. "I feel like we should wait for Aladdin to tell us once more that he needs Judal."

Judal and Aladdin were not close, they were not even friends. The other had punched the boy and attacked him before. Aladdin never really spoke of the other in friendly terms. It didn't make sense for him to want to have the other around.

"If he needs Judal to wake up though," Sinbad's sentence was left to hang in the air.

If Aladdin needed Judal, then it was their job as his friend to help him in his time of need. Even if it was to speak to someone like that magi, to allow him to walk along the palace grounds and see him when Aladdin was weak…

"I will see to someone calling for Hakuryuu and to Kougyoku about seeing if the magi will come." He would not like this. That was one thing he was sure about. He would not enjoy a moment of having the other in the country. In fact, given his chance, he would see to it that the other was never having a moment alone in the palace lest he do so much as look at the place improperly.

Sinbad nodded, "I will leave that to you then. I should go see to Alibaba…" he looked back, "Unless you would like to go see to something-"

"I will remain by Aladdin's side until Alibaba or Masrur come to replace me."

Sinbad nodded before exiting the room, heading out to work.

Ja'far looked towards the door a moment before sighing.

He would inform his king of his fears about Aladdin's full condition later. It was hard to believe that anyone would rape poor Aladdin. Who would have that kind of strength to begin with?


	3. Chapter 3

Aladdin was sleeping still in three days' time. The guards never were off duty from watching over him. The generals, Alibaba, Sinbad, and Morgiana took turns at watching over the slumbering boy, especially Sinbad, to the disgust of Ja'far who insisted finally that the king bring his work with him rather than escape it by going to watch over Aladdin.

The man sat in the room and pressed a new cloth against the boy's forehead. The magi's breathing was finally calmed after an hour of hyperventilating; his face was still covered in sweat. The young boy hadn't been moved except to change the sheets or have him eat or drink. He was helped over a chamber pot but…

It was a slow process to get him to move.

"Aladdin," Sinbad moved to slowly rouse the boy from sleep. He gently shook at the boy's shoulders, speaking quietly like Ja'far had been doing. "Aladdin, I brought some food."

The boy's eyes opened before he looked over at him. The blue hue was dim, dimmer than he had ever seen it before. It took a moment before he did anything. His small arms reached out for help silently, quickly being held onto and pulled by Sinbad until the boy was sitting up.

"Aladdin, I have guests coming this evening." He set the cloth that had fallen from his visage aside back in the bowl. "I would like for you to be active this evening. Just for the night. It'll only be a couple hours. I won't make you speak to anyone, but it would be helpful to your guest as well as mine if you were there."

"My guest?" Aladdin's voice was hoarse.

"You asked for them so we went ahead and fetched them for you." Sinbad stood up as a knock came. "Ah, that would be the servants." He smiled down at Aladdin and pat the boy on the head. "It will be just for a little bit, then we'll be placing you right in a room next to Ja'far's and Marur. I made sure to get a lot of food for this evening as well."

Aladdin was quiet, frowning a bit as the other let the servants in and accepted the clothes from them easily. His arms were raised as a robe was wrapped around him, covering his hands from view and also the bruises and healing scratches. The guards wrapped a band of cloth around his chest and waist, tightening it before he felt his legs lifted, bangles being placed around his ankles. Sinbad grabbed a brush from nearby and began to brush his hair out while Aladdin stood so the others could finish dressing him. He shut his eyes, wanting to be buried in cloth and not be seen by anyone. He wasn't in the mood for going to see anyone. He didn't want to move.

"Aladdin," Sinbad grinned at him as he braided the other's hair quickly. "You look good dressed in more fitting clothes."

He felt completely out of place, like a doll for the king. Nothing felt like him, nothing had for a while though. Perhaps it was better this way. He didn't know himself anymore. The rukh wouldn't even respond in quite the same manner that they had before. Still they were floating about the air as though lost. Looking in the mirror, he saw a skinnier self reflected back at him. His eyes were more haunted looking. His arms were adorned in more of those golden bangles, making his mind wander for a moment before he shook his head and tugged the sleeves of his robes down. He looked up at Sinbad and shook his head. "I don't know about this."

"It'll be alright, Aladdin." Sinbad took the magi's hand into his and gave an assuring squeeze. "It'll be fine. You'll feel better once you step out and see some people again. Hakuryuu has come to visit again and Alibaba is already talking to him."

Aladdin let the other lead him down the hall, soon enough finding the adviser heading down the hall and almost dropping his scrolls as he saw Aladdin. Ja'far's face flickered to Sinbad in surprise. "You got him up? Are you sure it's alright?"

Sinbad pulled Aladdin before himself and nodded. "Aladdin's been in bed long enough. He'll be joining the welcoming dinner this evening."

Ja'far moved forward, shoving the scrolls into Sinbad's arms before bending down and straightening up his bangs a bit. His hands going to take a hold of Aladdin's, his face turned a bit serious. "Aladdin, if you feel even the least bit uncomfortable at dinner or you want to leave, just wave over to me, alright?"

Aladdin smiled at him a bit and nodded, earning a sigh from the adviser before Ja'far stood up. "And you, your highness, have work that was incomplete."

"Do I? I could have sworn everything on my desk was finished." Sinbad grinned a bit, Ja'far glaring at him.

"On your desk, yes. However, upon inspection, I found at least a dozen thrown haphazardly under your desk to gather dust."

"If they happen to fall down there, it is through my ignorance, not anything else." He shook his head before the adviser swatted him with a scroll. "Marur said he watched you put them down there."

"Masrur has broken our trust. I feel horribly betrayed. I hope he wants to work outside in the heat for a few days in repayment for this great transgression."

The two continued to bicker as Aladdin watched, waiting for them to do something. They seemed preoccupied with bothering one another and arguing though. Back and forth the banter when, until Aladdin finally turned and decided to just head to the main eating hall to wait for everyone else. His footsteps were quiet along the hallways, all but drowned out for a bit by the sound of the two arguing. The halls were mostly empty, with a stray person leaving one room to hurry towards another.

A couple servants bowed towards him and Aladdin felt himself look away, feeling already uncomfortable with the others' show of respect. He hurried his steps before he heard someone call his name, a hand reaching out to grab his shoulder. Aladdin jumped, looking over his shoulder only to see Alibaba smiling at him.

"Wow, you look great. I'm glad to see you up!" Alibaba smiled at him, "So you're coming to dinner too?"

Aladdin nodded, speaking quietly. "Sinbad helped me get dressed and said it would be good to come to dinner."

"He's right," the blond wrapped his arm over Aladdin's shoulders and began to lead him towards the food hall. "We've all been really worried about you. It'll be nice to eat all together instead of missing you."

"Are you okay, Alibaba?" Aladdin looked up at him, worried about how the other had acted when he had been… Aladdin felt a small shiver go through him before the other nodded.

"I'm just happy to see you up and about again. We can maybe go and adventure some in a few days when you're all better." His bright eyes were glinting in excitement and energy, his face full of happiness. He was just like usual, but there were traces of fear in the other's posture.

Aladdin looked up at him, staring a moment before nodding. "Yeah, maybe…" He never wanted to leave these walls again. He didn't want to risk being hurt again. His lower body hurt so much.

"Ah, Aladdin. Alibaba." They both looked over to where two people stood by the entrance to the food hall, just about to enter by the look of it. Hakuryuu was the one to speak, moving forward and smiling to them both. He bowed respectfully before looking down at Aladdin. "You look wonderful, Aladdin. Those clothes suit you well." His gaze turned to Alibaba before he motioned over his shoulder. "I brought him just as I was asked. He had no qualms about coming, actually. He didn't even gripe like he normally does about dressing the part and doing his role as our priest and magi."

Aladdin's eyes were locked on the other person, his whole body frozen in place as the other smirked at him for a moment. Those eyes knowing. Tonight he was also dressed in more decadent garb, his robes somewhat similar. Judal moved forward and looked over at the other two. "So I'm supposed to help the brat here?"

Hakuryuu shook his head. "Aladdin asked for you. I'm sure he can elaborate what was so important that you needed to be summoned here."

Alibaba glared at the magi as Judal glanced at him a moment. The dark haired magi raised a brow, but said nothing to him, instead turning his gaze to Aladdin. The stunned boy looked up at him, frozen in place. "Well?"

Aladdin stared at him before the magi reached out, his cold fingers slipping under the sleeve that Aladdin tried to hold shut, taking his hand into his own. Aladdin couldn't stop shaking, staring at him as the other blinked, pulling the hand up and pulling back the sleeve.

"Oh my, what is this," he asked as though he didn't know. The other two looked over and Hakuryuu stared in shock at the marks up Aladdin's arms.

"Aladdin. Alibaba, what happened?" He looked over at the furious blond.

Judal slid an arm around Aladdin's shoulders and smiled, "I'm sure it's nothing that Aladdin won't explain to me when we go to eat. That idiot king had better have brought some damn decent food for dinner." He looked down at Aladdin and pushed him forward, "come on, Chibi."

Aladdin's feet didn't want to move though, his eyes were glued to the other, remembering everything and feeling suddenly a thousand ways sick to his stomach. He stared at the other and Judal stared back at him before laughing.

"The hell's wrong with you, brat. We're going to eat."

"He's had a rough time, go easy on him."

Judal looked over at him, "No one's talking to you, flabbyba…" the magi's words paused as he looked at Aladdin's rukh, his eyes widening a moment before his face began to change, a small smirk forming on his features before he began to laugh. His laughing became louder as Sinbad and Ja'far began to approach, both staring at the magi.

"What is going on? Judal?" Hakuryuu stared at him a moment before the magi grinned.

"Black rukh."

"What's this?" Sinbad moved forward before Judal waved them off, yanking the young magi along and into the food hall.

"I said there better be decent food here if I had to come all the way to this doomed country."

Hakuryuu and Alibaba were both following after them though; having a bit of an easier time with Aladdin was pushing his heels against the floor. "Judal, what do you mean black rukh? Is Aladdin's rukh black now? I thought you said they were white."

The magi waved him off in dismissal, going to sit at the high table in Ja'far's seat, pushing Aladdin into Drakkon's. The boy looked about ready to keel over from being so close to the other. He glanced in the other's direction and found Judal staring back at him.

Those red eyes stared him down, making him sink into the seat. He wanted to just vanish now. Looking over at Ja'far, he felt himself shrivel up inside as the other began discussion with a few other guests, talking to Hakuryuu and to Alibaba and Masrur. Whatever they were discussing, he couldn't hear it from where they sat.

And suddenly Judal was leaning over a bit, looking at him. The closeness made Aladdin jump.

"You are falling," the other said simply. "Why call me though, I'm not going to help you. If anything, I'll help you fall faster and have you join me in killing everyone here. Starting with those people over there," he nodded towards the king and his generals, talking in front of them.

Aladdin stared at him. How could he not remember hurting him? Had it… It couldn't have been a dream though. How had he gotten hurt if that was the case. "You…"

The words wouldn't come out, making him shake a bit from how much he didn't want to see the other's reaction. Judal stared at him for a moment before leaning in closer.

"Hey chibi."

The boy stared at him before Judal gave him a knowing grin, "hurry up and pick a side and a king candidate. It won't be any use to fight someone with gray rukh. They don't even look like they can fly correctly."

"You did it," he murmured.

Judal stared at him, "what?"

Aladdin looked up at him and glared, balling up his fists as he spoke louder, surprisingly louder than he had anticipated. "You did it to them. When you came into my room the other night."

The entire room immediately fell silent. Sinbad's face darkening as Hakuryuu frowned, opening his mouth to comment as Alibaba was going for his metal vessel. Everyone was staring towards them, some shocked, some horrified, some pissed.

Judal's expression was blank, staring at him a moment before he began to laugh once more. The laughter was much harder than before with Judal holding onto his stomach. "You think I did this?" Judal wiped at an eye before looking over at Hakuryuu. "Tell them where you found me a few days ago, Haku."

The boy looked over at the other before shaking his head. "Judal was in the Kou palace. He was nowhere near here."

"He could have flown," Alibaba glared at the magi, refusing to not believe Aladdin.

"Could I? All the way here just to carve up a brat who can't even control his magoi?" Judal stared back at him with a grin. "That seems like a waste of time."

Aladdin looked up at the other, frowning for a moment. Had he been imagining that it was the other? The generals and everyone looked at him worriedly before calming down, forcing Alibaba to relax and go to get Morgiana and an absent Masrur from training outside. They all began to move to their seats; Ja'far going to sit on Sinbad's other side since Judal had chosen the adviser's usual seat.

Aladdin looked down at his hands for a moment as he sighed. He shouldn't have said anything. The older magi might have not done it. He had only been dreaming of the man after all. He hadn't seen the other's face or anything in real life. He had thought he had though.

Five fingers pressed into his side as he thought, pulling him a bit closer before Judal leaned over and murmured quietly into his ear. "Try that again, Chibi, and next time, I won't just leave when the rescue comes."


	4. Chapter 4

Aladdin stared at him for the main course, only eating just enough to stop his stomach from aching. He felt so ill. Of course he knew he had done so, he had been there. He knew he had, Aladdin knew he had, but the others were now under the belief that he hadn't.

Why? Why would Judal do that to him? Aladdin curled up in his seat, wanting to leave. Everyone was just talking and eating as though it were just another night. Even Alibaba seemed to be having more interest in talking to Hakuryuu. The others were all having fun without him, but Ja'far must have noticed. The adviser stood up from where he was, moving over to them and bending down to kneel before Aladdin's seat.

"Are you okay?" Ja'far frowned at him a bit. "Do you want to go to bed now?"

Aladdin nodded quietly before he felt a hand rest upon his shoulder. The adviser looked over at the raven-haired magi with his hand on Aladdin.

"I'll take him. I'm done anyway." Judal looked over at him. "Don't you have papers to do or something?"

The adviser's eyes flashed dangerously. His gaze locked on the carmine eyes just begging him to try to argue. The magi got his wish. Ja'far spoke in a calm manner, "Aladdin is in the room next to mine. It would be a simple matter to escort hi-"

"Aladdin invited me here," Judal shook his head. "Don't you find it would be more beneficial for us to have our conversation instead of waiting? I have better things to do than sit around in this shabby country with your idiot king."

The adviser backed down, much to Aladdin's terror. He was picked up by the older magi, carried along towards the exit of the room. They left quietly, the others continuing to talk and discuss things. Aladdin's gaze went to the other magi.

Judal looked back at him as they went. His voice was relaxed, jubilant even. "You have such good friends, brat. They hand you right over to the one who did this to you." The man paused as they reached another hallway. "What a shame it is that we were unable to remember where that idiot king's adviser's room is and I had to bring you back to my guest chambers for the evening."

Aladdin looked up at him, "why?"

The arms around him went to hold his throat instead, the raven haired magi carrying him by his neck and private parts. Aladdin whimpered in his arms. Judal's expression darkened. "Why not? Does there have to be a reason?"

Aladdin kicked and squirmed in the other's grip, fighting for air. When he did get his throat free a bit, he took a deep breath to call out for help when the other pressed him into a wall, leaning in close. He could smell the food from dinner on the other's breath. Those eyes dared him to speak.

"Watch me take down the entire palace before hurting you that much more," He told the boy.

He shut his eyes, knowing it was true. Judal wouldn't hesitate to hurt them. The magi held his hand up, letting a pitch black rukh land on it. He held it for the boy to see. "Watch all of your little rukh turn this color. All that pain and misery," the magi leaned forward, murmuring quietly into the boy's ear. "When I get through with you, you'll enjoy every cry of pain. You'll beg me for more."

Aladdin shook his head before he felt his face smacked.

The older magi began to drag him, not carry, not strangle. He grabbed a hold of the bangles on Aladdin's ankles and dragged him along the tiles of the palace, going down the stairs only for Aladdin to bite his lip not to cry. He pushed off the bottom steps to get onto the other's back, holding on tight as the other grimaced and moved into a nearby room.

Aladdin was only holding on for a moment before the magi pulled him off and tossed him towards the bed. He yanked at the cords holding his own clothes on him and his crimson gaze flickered to Aladdin. The black rukh pulsed around him.

It was the most terrifying thing, to have all that energy, that dark sun looking down at him. Aladdin pulled himself back on the bed as the other moved forward. He climbed onto the bed as Aladdin reached the headboard and he yanked him forward. His teeth bit down on the soft skin of the boy's legs. And then the young magi was a mess, trying not to cry too loud.

No one would come. No one could. There was no one to save him this time. Judal had him at his mercy and Aladdin could feel the pain consume him. Once more he felt conflicted. He would rather die, rather die than be here. He shut his eyes only to open them and feel his own rukh darkening. Slowly the white color began to fade into darkness.

He tried to think of something positive, something to hold onto.

The others were safe. Alibaba and Morgiana, Sinbad and Ja'far; they were all going to be okay. Judal's face moved upwards, smacking him across the face before he was leaning down, biting at him. The man going at hurting him, leaving him weak; It was working.

Judal looked up at him from where he was clawing at the chest he had exposed on Aladdin. "Don't you wish that they would come save you, chibi? They could have followed and tried to stop me. They could have believed you, but they didn't." He moved upwards, wiping at Aladdin's tears. "They don't care. They didn't even doubt me for a moment."

Aladdin shook his head. The other was trying to break him. He would not give up on them. They were always there for him before. Alibaba had felt so guilty when he had seen how hurt he was. They had sat around his bed and waited for him to be able to even stand on his two feet.

"They're wanting to use you," Judal's voice purred, making him tremble. "They just want to watch you use all your energy to help them. When did they come to visit you before that night? How often does Fattybaba actually come by just because in the dead of night? He knew I was going to do it. He helped me get in. The others? They just let me stand behind them and bother you after it was all over."

He had been there, Aladdin hadn't imagined that. The young magi shut his eyes, shaking his head. The pain. Judal's fingernails dug into his skin, making him begin to cry.

"They all betrayed you," he purred, smiling. "They left you so open for me to use. They called me here just for the fun of it. They even gave me this room." He motioned to the room a moment before his eyes gleamed. "Oh, this is more interesting."

The rukh pulsed darkly around Aladdin, the boy's eyes shut tight as he felt his strength leave him. They had all left him here to be hurt by the magi.

"They took everything from you," Judal purred to him. "They even planned the loss of your djinn." His hands were gentler, caressing him now as Aladdin felt his last resistance fall before him. "Sinbad knew the king of Balbad, your king candidate's father. They had it all planned."

Aladdin's eyes opened as fresh tears spilled forth from him. It was their fault Ugo was gone? Why? Why would they do that? He had gone through so much grief from missing the djinn.

Judal leaned over him, leaning in enough to let their foreheads rest against one another. "I could be your friend. Let's kill them together. Let's cause a war for them to fight in, make them suffer as you have."

Aladdin's hands wrapped around the other magi's arms as he listened to his offer.

"Come with me, chibi." The magi offered him. "Let me show you what true power is. Let's kill these people and rebuild the entire world. Let's make a war."

Aladdin leaned up, still feeling the tears fall from his face as he held onto the other magi. Judal's arms wrapped around him tight as Aladdin looked above them. Not a single white rukh remained in the room. All of them, every single one flicked their black wings, flying around the room silently.

The other magi pulled the sheets up, pulling them over them both. His arms wrapped around Aladdin before he bit into the boy's shoulder. Aladdin hissed before the other grinned, pulling back and shutting his eyes.

It was all his friends' faults that he was alone. There was no one to save him when he needed it. They led him into the danger, planned it, according to Judal.

He shut his eyes and decided.

Let there be a war then. Judal was right. He needed actual power. Everyone was just out to hurt one another. Let them fight. He didn't want to hurt anymore. He was tired of the pain, tired of the agony. He would let the loneliness fill him and fuel him now.

Judal smiled against him. "That's it, Chibi. Accept the black rukh. You'll find them more powerful than your white rukh ever were."


	5. Chapter 5

The boy didn't seem quite right.

He hadn't been right for a long time, but this morning, walking in to find Aladdin with Judal; Ja'far felt a bad feeling in his bones. He pushed Sinbad back into the other room and shut the door behind himself so that the king wouldn't be able to enter the hall. Judal was airing out his carpet a bit as he spoke quietly to a silent Aladdin.

"Aladdin," he called to the boy and paused when he felt something. It was like all the air in the room turned to ice. The boy looked back, staring over at him silently. "Aladdin, we were all about to go have some breakfast. Would you like to join us while Judal leaves?"

Judal laughed at him, "Chibi has decided on a different course for the future."

The door behind Ja'far was being banged on as Ja'far looked between the two magi. There was definitely something wrong. He moved forward slowly, watching the two standing by the edge of the open hallway. The skies were bright behind them both, but the shadow of the roof still managing to just cover them, making them a bit less clearly visible.

"Why don't we all go inside," the adviser offered. "It's a bit too humid to be riding around the countryside."

Judal looked over at Aladdin a moment before looking back towards Ja'far. He moved in to close the distance between himself and Aladdin, wrapping an arm around the boy. His expression was beyond coy, all but smirking in arrogance. "What a nice suggestion, Freckles. What do you think, Aladdin?" He slipped a hand under the boy's robes, clearly hurting him as the boy winced, the other magi's hands returning to above his robes only to be tinted with red.

Aladdin gave the other magi a look before Judal spread his arms out. "Habits. I can't help myself."

The fact he didn't run to him, the fact that Aladdin didn't even get overly upset with Judal for that; it made the adviser take a step back. "Aladdin…" He had to talk to the other away from Judal though. Ja'far smiled over at Aladdin. "Aladdin are you hungry at all? Do you want to take a bath and spend some time with Alibaba and the others?"

The boy looked over at him once more. His eyes were different.

The blue color was gone, replaced with that red hue the other magi had. Aladdin smiled over at him, the same smile Ja'far had seen a thousand times before. The same warm smile that he had whenever he had run to his arms and hugged him tight in greeting, but it was off. His eyes didn't hold that warmth. Like all the fire in him had been extinguished.

"Judal was right," the boy said, looking over at him.

Ja'far could only stand there as Judal began to make his carpet float, sitting down on it to watch the scene.

Aladdin moved forward a step as Ja'far grabbed a hold of his daggers. "You all are a bunch of traitors."

Ja'far heard the door behind him fall down from Sinbad's force just before the king tackled him to the ground. Fire flew over their heads before the dark magi could be heard laughing. Sinbad and Ja'far looked up to find Aladdin climbing onto the carpet with Judal.

"Isn't it amazing how easily a person can be broken?" Judal wrapped his arms around the boy.

Sinbad glared at them both. "What did you do?"

"I fixed him," Judal replied with a smile. "Was that not what you wanted me to do? I just told him everything he needed to hear. Everything you weren't telling him."

Sinbad went for one of his vessels before another cascade of fire came towards them. He bent over his adviser a moment before Alibaba rushed to their aid. The man summoned Amon and dispelling the fire. His gaze was focused on Judal again. "Give us back Aladdin!"

"I'm not taking him," Judal called down to the boy. "He's coming of his own free will."

Aladdin leaped down from the carpet and landed back onto the stone floor of the hallway, holding his staff before him.

"So eager to fight." Judal sighed. "I was hoping to get something to eat, Chibi."

Alibaba rushed forward, preparing to strike at Judal when Aladdin hit him with a blast. The flames and energy hit him in the side, sending him falling into the ground outside of the hallway. The blast continued until Ja'far moved forward, biting his lip as he sent his weapons shooting towards the young magi.

Judal dropped down and blocked the attack easily, laughing as he pressed himself against Aladdin's side. "I want the king if you are going to be playing with your former candidate."

"He isn't fighting anymore," Aladdin countered as he stopped his attack, looking towards the other two. The blond who had saved the duo lay quietly in the grass, unconscious and burned.

Sinbad held onto ja'far's waist, looking between the two magi before he spoke.

"What did we do to deserve this Aladdin? In what way did we hurt you?"

Judal spoke for the boy. "You all betrayed him when he needed you most. From the dangerous scary magi that kept hurting him. So much emotional pain," Judal looked over at Aladdin before his gaze returned to the other two. "He has finally fallen."

Sinbad's gaze went from Judal to Aladdin before he moved forward, keeping his weapons away, despite Ja'far's protests. "We never wanted you hurt Aladdin. We sought to your injuries and welcomed you here without hesitation. We never wanted you hurt. You're like a son around here." He held his arms open. "The darkness that has taken over you is strong and very persuasive, but I ask you to think of a moment that we ever hurt you."

Judal looked back at the boy a bit warily before the boy was raising his staff towards the king, "You all took Ugo away from me."

The flames almost hit the king before Ja'far pulled him out of the way. The king pulled out his sword and Judal was pulling Aladdin back. His eyes were on the others as he pulled Aladdin back onto his carpet and moved them away from the others.

"I would ask you to become mine, idiot king, but I have a better king candidate in mind." He wrapped his arms around the boy and leaned against Aladdin's back. "This one listens to every word from me like it's religion."

The two flew away from the scene, leaving Sinbad to curse as he put his weapon away. His gaze turned to the side, towards where Alibaba lay. Ja'far moved to go check on him before he looked over at the king. "Alibaba is breathing hard."

"I don't doubt that." Sinbad looked back up towards where the two magi had disappeared to. "Damn it."

"What did Aladdin mean that it was our fault Ugo was gone?" Ja'far began to carefully pick up and carry Alibaba towards the hallway, looking over at Sinbad in concern.

"I don't know, but he can't be serious about making Aladdin his king candidate."

Ja'far looked down as a strangled sound came from Alibaba. "If you can get Yamuraiha, I will carry him to a bed and await your presence."

Sinbad looked down at the boy a moment before shaking his head. "Leave him in a room and try to hurry to find Yamuraiha. I have to prepare the other generals and inform them of the situation."

Ja'far opened his mouth to argue when Sinbad cut him off.

"We could have those two return at any time. The last thing we want it anyone unaware that Aladdin has fallen. He's made his choice; we have to follow it accordingly."

"It's Aladdin though," Ja'far frowned, shaking his head. "no matter what we tell the others, they will refuse to believe it until it's too late."

"We will try to save him if we can, but we need to be prepared for the worst." Sinbad looked over at him with a small smile, the smile not reaching his eyes. "Isn't that what you always tell me to be prepared for?"

Ja'far shook his head. "There is no way to prepare enough for something like this."

"We will have to try our best." Sinbad pushed Ja'far towards the building as Alibaba began to cry out again. "If we want to save Aladdin, we will have to be ready. Take care of Alibaba while I find the generals."

"Yes, Sin."

The adviser moved into the building before Sinbad looked up into the skies once more, scanning for the magi again before he cursed, kicking at some remains of the door he had broken down.

Damn them.

Peace time was over.


	6. Chapter 6

Let's start a war.

The blood that ran between the country of Sindria and the Kou Empire was endless. Families were broken apart, loneliness called from every corner of the land. Judal laughed as he went, holding onto the boy after every town. They were like a plague, a black plague that was spreading uncontrollably through the area.

But when they reached the Kou Empire, their bloody plague didn't stop. Judal sent the magi the Al Samen had wanted so terribly to them. He sent the boy to them armed with his own wand, holding the staff as the boy went in. He watched and listened to the screaming, the chaos.

It was like the ultimate war of all wars. The sound of the slaughtering appealed to Judal on a level that he would never have thought possible.

One of the witches of the Al Samen was crawling out the back of the building, her headdress falling from her face. She looked up and saw Judal only to gasp, her eyes brightening. "Child," Gyokuen looked up to him and reached for him. "You must stop him. His rukh are killing us all. Protect us."

Judal laughed at her, dropping down and moving forward languidly. He bent down, stabbing her hand reaching to harm him with the spear in his hand. "You're an idiot." He told her simply. He made quick work, summoning an ice spear and piercing her back before the hideout for the Al Samen was ablaze. Aladdin walked out quietly and stared at the body before Judal wrapped his arms around the boy.

"Does it feel good?" He asked the boy. "Don't you like the taste of it all, watching all the struggle? It's much more interesting than the peace you were going on about."

Aladdin shook his head. "it doesn't take away the pain."

"The next place will," Judal promised, leading the boy towards the next town. "The next town will make the pain lessen."

His words had been the same all the way to the hideout. With each person they killed, the black rukh swarmed around them, pressing in to get their fill. The world seemed to be lit in darkness, filling him from the inside out. By the time they were two towns over from their attack on the Al Samen, Aladdin wasn't sure he was alive anymore.

Nothing felt real. The blood caked his skin, his body, his soul. It felt like each person was just a grain of sand, being swept up under him and killed. The screams didn't reach his senses. The cries and begging fell on deaf ears.

Judal gleefully led him into battle, showing him from one home to the next. He would run ahead to slaughter people trying to escape. There was never any warning before their attacks, no one could run fast enough to outmatch their speed flying.

The flames would lick the air behind them as they walked away from their destruction. Judal's arms around him tighter after every town, after every city; his eyes were more animated with every place they went. Aladdin felt his own dimming, losing himself into the darkness of himself. He watched, like an out of body experience as they butchered everyone. He shivered inside of himself. That little piece of him that remained felt the blindfold of innocence covering his eyes.

That small piece of himself was hidden away, locked from all the pain and torture. _It's for your protection, _the rest of him seemed to say. He wasn't sure why there was his spirit locked away. He just knew that there was trouble. The black rukh sang to him, beckoned him onwards in what he was doing and that small remaining goodness in Aladdin hoped they weren't being listened to.

He prayed they were not being listened to.

Outwards, Judal pulled him to a stop as they were stopped from hitting the city of Balbad. Judal's eyes set on the city and his smile increased. "Let's hit here next."

The ships they saw a moment later didn't deter them. Judal looked out at them and smiled, pulling Aladdin to look. He pointed at the Sindrian sails, murmuring his plans to Aladdin, telling him what he had to do. Aladdin looked up at him and nodded, heading down to the docks as Judal spun around, summoning the water up with his magoi, turning it to ice and causing the initial ruckus.

Aladdin walked down the roads, his eyes set on the docks.

At the mast of the ship, stood nine people. They were staring at him, watching him before the one in the center leaped into the air, hitting the docks immediately and heading for Aladdin. Aladdin's hand held up his staff.

The blaze was bigger than he had managed before, spiraling in the air above him. The other generals were up and running as soon as the boat was to the docks. Their attack was in unison, but with numbers came their downfall. Aladdin sent the blaze for their king, ducking down as the others rushed him. He felt the wires wrap around him, the voice of the king's close adviser calling out to him, telling him to see reason before he regretted it.

He already regretted it. There was so much pain, so much agony inside him. His friend, his closest friend was gone and everyone had lied to him about it. They had made him think that the Kou Empire's royal family was to blame. They were, but they had been set up to send his djinn friend away. The Sindrian palace and his closest friends had allowed Judal to hurt him. Everything was always hurting.

Judal had said he could get rid of the pain by taking down these cities though.

Those eyes of the blue haired magi's shut, the wires catching fire. The blaze headed straight back towards the adviser. Ja'far went to lose the wires but Aladdin jumped closer, sending the wires around his arms forward to either catch or slice through two of the other generals. They weren't caught. The wires slid through them, sending them to the ground.

Ja'far found himself in front of Aladdin, his defense as Aladdin countered the others. It was the adviser that felt the blades of his allies, the magic that went to attack him. Ja'far tried to turn, tried to free himself, but Aladdin had him by the wires. He felt Yamuraiha fall against him. He felt the wires wrap around him and he spun around, trying to get free when the boy was thrown back.

Sinbad stood, his djinn equipped on his person. The king stood stoically, blade towards the boy.

Aladdin's gaze went to them a moment before the other magi was back. Judal's arms wrapped around Aladdin, his eyes on the king, "Sinbad," Judal looked over at him and grinned. "It's time for another to fall."

The king kept his blade pointed, Ja'far coughing behind him.

"You've killed them, Aladdin." Sinbad motioned to the others. "What did they do?"

Aladdin's dead stare met him, emotionless eyes on him as he climbed back to his feet with the help of Judal. The black haired magi laughed.

"He's gone," Judal purred. "Just the first of many."

The king went to rush forward when he felt something strike him. His eyes widened as he stared at Judal. Judal stared back at him, those carmine colored eyes wide as well. They both listened as Ja'far cried out behind his king. The rukh around them all grew more, darkness overtaking the area. Sinbad's eyes shuttered, his breathing going ragged. He looked at Judal and shook his head. "Was this what you wanted Judal? He's gone where not even you would go."

The king fell, his adviser rushing forward to him.

The man was turning him over, staring at him. His rukh, the white rukh around Ja'far were gone, his eyes changing. The darkness overtook him as he held his king and mourned.

Judal looked down at Aladdin, the boy aiming another spear towards Ja'far, and he shivered a bit. He pulled the boy forward, sending Ja'far flying back from his king's side. The dark haired magi threw Aladdin against the body of Sinbad and growled. "I was going to make him fall, brat."

Aladdin looked down at the body, shaking as that small part of him that remained saw Sinbad. He stared at it and his eyes widened. The light came back to his eyes a moment before he shook. His hands cupped at the blood that dripped down Sinbad. He leaned down, holding onto him. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. Sinbad… He looked around himself and his face turned distraught.

Why? Why had he done this?

Ja'far looked over at him and his eyes widened. He reached out for Aladdin. "Aladdin, don't. Don't do that to yourself," the other tried to warn.

The black rukh surrounded Aladdin in an instant, flooding him in pain, in agony. It was his fault. It was all his fault. They had been kind to him, they had tried to reach him before he did something even worse. His mind flickered through what he had seen over the time he and Judal had left Sindria. His remaining spirit was crushed.

Judal moved to Ja'far and struck him. He began to torture the man as Aladdin felt his spirit become tortured. He looked around once more as his eyes filled with tears.

Judal's voice went through the air. The king was dead. Ja'far hadn't protected him. He hadn't saved anyone. He had been so useless. He had been a puppet that in the end was pathetic. He was a street rat with no family.

Aladdin listened to the rukh continue that murmuring. Aladdin had no family, he had no friends. He was useless. He was careless. He had ruined everyone's lives. He would never have anyone. There was only the pain inside him.

"Help," Aladdin murmured, holding onto Sinbad. "Help please…" He looked around before he felt Judal's eyes on him. The adviser under him changing, falling into depravity. The magi moved towards him, holding Aladdin and pulling him away from the body. "Help… Judal please…" Aladdin felt the pain overwhelm him, it strangled him. He wanted to die. Dying would be so much easier than this.

Judal stared at him, he looked over at Ja'far. Those red eyes turned towards the black rukh that swarmed around them. His voice was a promise that Aladdin hoped once more to be true. "The next attack will take away the pain."

The next town would take away all the pain.

That night was not free of pain though. Aladdin screamed against the ground where he and Judal lay. He felt the other push into him, felt the other pounding into his body and he screamed. He looked up only to find Judal telling the fallen adviser to hold him still. Ja'far listened, for reasons that Aladdin couldn't comprehend. He watched Ja'far's face as Judal took his pleasure out on him. He wondered what the other could be thinking.

Did he wish for Sinbad to be okay? Did he feel for Aladdin at all? Did he blame him? The other's hands on him were still covered in the blood from the other generals. His eyes were emotionless, watching the scene as though it were nothing.

Judal came loudly. The magi's head leaning back as he howled as he came. The adrenaline rush that he felt was apparent. His eyes were gleaming, his smile was bright, his chest was moving fast as he panted. There was a glint of sweat on his body.

The magi looked at Aladdin and Ja'far before he pulled out, falling soon enough from his high. He dropped down next to Aladdin and pulled the boy into his arms, holding him close. The magi motioned for the adviser a moment before Ja'far came to rest on the other side of Aladdin.

The other's arms didn't feel the same, Aladdin thought vaguely. Nothing felt like it had before. The moon was even red, hanging high above them.

It was their fault.

Tomorrow would never be like yesterday.

All the goodness in life had been extinguished from the world, like a candle being blown out, leaving only the smoke to flicker up to the moon.


	7. Chapter 7

It was like a blending of colors, a smudging of reality.

Judal would find himself raping Aladdin again or torturing Ja'far deeper into his depravity. He would find himself standing upon the edge of a cliff, looking towards the Dark Continent, or Laem. The next moment, he was there, destroying everything. The next thing he would see was himself dragging the two into a town only to in the next moment be standing upon the burned remains of the place.

The black rukh sang around him. Aladdin was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. He would listen to every word, take every bit of pain that came his way.

He would take it all and he would suffer.

Aladdin and Ja'far suffered from each and every town. Their faces hardened with every life they took. They laid together after Judal would have his way only for them to fall asleep into terrible nightmares. Judal would find his entertainment in watching them awaken only to have fallen just a little bit further if possible. It was beyond any of Judal's dreams.

Judal found himself laughing a lot. From the reactions of the two he traveled with, from the fresh kills. His hands and body were often coated in the blood of his enemies. His body was so often satisfied that he could not physically want for anything. It was a pleasurable feeling. Everyone was dead or dying around them. It was a whole new world order and he was leading it all with a child and the once loyal to an idiot king assassin. Their black rukh were silent, just acting as Judal's did in these situations.

Everything had fallen apart for the world. Over the indecipherable amount of time, the world was filled with flames, burning everything only to be covered in ice in the end.

The satisfaction of the hunt though, the sheer thrill of it all was dissipating. Slowly, Judal found himself walking away from each place more and more disgruntled. The bodies didn't seem to fall and die as well as they had before. the screams and the pleas were becoming more of an annoyance than anything else. With each town they would walk away from, Judal would tell himself it was just a fluke. The next town would be better. Aladdin would be shivering, holding onto Ja'far as they moved to the next place. He could feel the other's pain, Aladdin's thoughts. He could feel the adviser's agony and mourning.

"The next town will make the pain go away," he would tell them.

It was such a lie, just another white lie to spark the next flames to burn down the next town. Judal pushed himself to fight more, to take control and slaughter. The feeling of war, this was what he had wanted, wasn't it?

_"This was not what you want."_

Judal looked around, frowning. His body suddenly in great pain, he bent over. Aladdin and Ja'far flickered out of his reality. The road below him vanished. He stood suddenly in an open field, alone. Then he was in a room, the lights around him all extinguished, just leaving a world moving above him. Then there was enough light from that world that he could see around him.

The movement was what made him pause.

Small white creatures moved forth, bringing the head of someone. The head's eyes looking at him a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"_I was hoping I could bring you here. Your friends have been making it quite difficult. Thank goodness Aladdin has blocked them with the Wisdom of Solomon for a moment."_

Judal frowned, looking around, at himself. He felt awake, more awake actually then he had in ages. The head looked at him kindly and shut its eyes.

"_Forgive me for the dream, I wanted to show you a reason why we cannot let Aladdin fall into depravity. I know that it may be too late for you, but-"_

Judal stared at him, "You had me rape the kid… to show me why not to rape the brat."

"_I was showing you why you would not want to allow Aladdin to fall-"_

"You just gave me the best reason to make him fall." Judal sat up a bit more, making gestures. "Basically, if I have my way with him against his will, I get him, I get Freckles, and I get to kill everyone and take over the world."

The head glared at him, _"You weren't happy with that. Remember the unhappiness-"_

"I remember feeling miserable, but obviously I didn't realize I had taken over everything." No wonder it had all gone so quickly. No wonder Sinbad had been so much weaker. It would probably be much harder in reality, but now that he knew what kind of power lay within the young magi…

"_You will not go near Aladdin." _The head was moved a bit closer by the white creatures. _"Does it not occur to you that you are being used by your leaders for their taking over everything? They want nothing but control. You felt the freedom of being rid of them. I let you have your war in that dream only to show you the emptiness that would come of it."_

"It wasn't empty though," Judal argued. "I was enjoying it."

"_You weren't enjoying it. You were miserable."_

"Then I just needed to fuck the brat again. Apparently that's something pleasurable." Judal smirked over at him. "You apparently wanted me to, since that was how I made him fall."

The head went silent a moment, deep lines developing on the figure's forehead before its eyes opened once more. _"If only I had my hands once more, I would smash you again, magi. You don't seem to get it. Aladdin will need your help to restore order, which will take as much war and fighting that you want. It is not through destruction and deprivation that you become truly happy."_

Judal was ignoring him though, looking around for an exit. "I'm going to rape him now. Not so much because it would be interesting, but just to see you have to watch me-" he paused as he registered the head's initial words. "You were that brat's djinn!"

"_Yes."_

Judal moved forward and pulled his wand out, aiming towards the head. The rukh around them listened, changing into ice for him, taking the shape of several spears. "I think it's time for me to end this so that I can get back and start the dream as a reality."

The head stared at him a moment before smiling faintly. "Help him, Judal. You have no other option."

Judal rushed for the head, prepared to hit him when the world began to meld together. Colors, shapes; reality collapsed around him. It felt like he was falling. His wand fell from his hands, his head began to pound. He tried to move but his body felt frozen in place.

He woke up.

His eyes flickered around the room silently as he took in his surroundings. One of the Al Samen were standing next to the bed, ushering in a kind of strange fume.

"What's that?" He looked over only for the masked figure to jump a bit.

"Desert steam. It's good for you." The figure shook his head. "You were not waking up fast so we decided to try this method."

Judal sat up slowly, testing his body. Certain muscles ached, others felt cramped and unable to be moved.

"The young magi used the Wisdom of Solomon on you."

"I didn't wake up afterwards and head to get him?" Judal frowned at the other.

"Were you dreaming, magi?" The figure moved towards him, most likely interested. It had been a long time since he had had any sort of dream. He just remembered the Al Samen coming to watch him rest at one point when he had dreamed before.

"No," he replied, looking away. His eyes darkened a bit as he planned what to do next. "I just saw my plans to come."


End file.
